The new award is meant to identify products and services that (1) best support and assist open water swimmers achieve their goals, (2) are innovative, unique and beneficial to open water swimmers, race directors, coaches or administrators, and (3) have made the most positive impact on the world of open water swimming during the calendar year.

The nominations are meant to recognize some of the best and innovative commercial and free offerings that open water swimmers can enjoy.

Extreme swimmers, disabled swimmers, ice swimmers, marathon swimmers, professional swimmers, administrators, coaches, pilots, and swimmers from all walks of life have used, purchased and benefited from an increasingly number of products and services introduced over the few years.

The nomination of the Open Water Swimming Insurance Program by HMBD reads,

"SWIM Channel is a colorful, educational Portuguese-language magazine created and produced by Patrick Winkler devoting to the sport of swimming. SWIM Channel always shares wonderful photography - and outstanding articles on the sport of open water swimming in every issue. Its monthly offerings include sections of product descriptions and comparisons, insightful interviews with top open water swimmers, and photography shot from the air, under the water, from the boats and at the water's level. The monthly publication screams passion, participation and popularity. Its protagonists written in its pages are passionate adherents of the sport; its articles describe the growing participation in the sport of swimming; its increasing reach in the aquatics community tells of its obvious popularity. For its ability to bring alive the sport of open water swimming, for its fervor for the athletes, events, products and trends in the sport, the SWIM Channel is a worthy nominee for the 2012 WOWSA Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year."

SWIM Channel Magazine is a magazine published by Patrick Winkler in Brazil for the hard-core swimming fan. Launched in 2010, the Swim Channel Magazine focuses on the Brazilian aquatics market, including coverage of the 200+ open water swims throughout the country.

Patrick, a former Speedo Marketing Manager and Arena Sales Manager, has a clearly demonstrated insight into the sport. His experience comes alive with the inside commentary and beautiful photography each month. "We have a great market here, and a tradition of good magazine publications for lots of different sports." The Swim Channel Magazine most definitely meets that high standard and is entertaining and educational for the fan, athlete, coach and official who reads Portuguese.